〃No； sir。 I am learning。 We are a people who have hungered after learning； Don Luis； and who have had too little of it。 I mean we Sacketts。 Our mountain lands had thin soil； and they gave us nothing more than just a living until we came west。〃
I looked at him and felt ashamed。 〃I can barely read； sir。 It is a struggle to make out the words； and what they mean。 Some I hunt down like a coyote after a rabbit。 I look at those books with longing； sir； and think of all the things they might say to me。〃
I got up； for of a sudden there was a heavy weariness upon me。 〃My books have been the mountains；〃 I said。 〃The desert； the forest； and the wide places where the grass grows。 I must learn what I can from the reading I can do。〃
Don Luis got up also； holding out his hand。 〃Each of us must find wisdom in his own way。 Mine is one way； yours another。 Perhaps we each need more of what the other knows。。。。 Good night； se？or。〃
When I went outside I walked through the gate to smell the wind； to test the night。 By the wall near me a cigarette glowed； cupped in a hand。 〃How goes the watch？〃 I asked in Spanish。
〃Well； se？or。〃He held the cigarette behind the wall in the darkness。 He bowed his head and drew deep； the small red fire glowed and faded again。 〃We are not alone； se？or。 Your friends and ours； they are out there 。。。 waiting。〃
So they had caught up with us。 Now there would be hell to pay in Sonora。
Turning on my heel； I went back into the house。 The old Don was just leaving his study。
〃You have many horses？〃 I asked。
〃All you need；〃 he assured me。
〃Can you give us three apiece？ I can't pay you now； but … 〃
〃Do not speak of pay；〃 he interrupted。 〃Your brother is the husband of my old friend's granddaughter。 You may have the horses。〃 He looked closely at me。 〃What will you do？〃
〃Your vaquero says they are waiting out there now。 I think he is right。 And so I think we will take our chances and run for it。 We'll switch horses without stopping 。。。 maybe we can outdistance them。〃
Don Luis Gsneros shrugged。 〃You might；〃 he said。 〃I will have the horses ready at daybreak。〃
〃An hour before；〃 I said。 〃And gracias。〃
Chapter 12
The horses were ready and we were mounted； the children with us。 The Don's men were posted on the walls to cover our going。 My horse was restive； eager to be away； but I glanced around at Dorset。 In the vague light her face seemed pale； her eyes unusually large。 I suspected mine were the same。
〃The tall pine yonder；〃 I said； and pointed in the direction。 〃Ride for it； ride hard。 They will be close around； with their horses well back from where。they wait。 With luck； we can ride through them and be away before they can get off more than a shot or two。〃
Sixteen men were on the walls； rifles ready for firing。 Other men stood by the gates； prepared to swing them open。
Don Luis walked over to me and held up his hand； and I took it。 〃Vaya con dios； amigo；〃he said gravely； and then he lifted a hand to the men at the gates and they swung them wide。
We went through the gates with a rush at the same instant as all sixteen men fired。 Some had targets chosen； having spotted lurking Apaches； others fired at bits of likely cover。
We hit the trail running； with Spanish Murphy and myself in the lead。 I saw the dark form of an Apache rise up almost directly before me and chopped down to fire with my pistol； but the horse struck him and knocked him rolling。 A hoof spurned his body； and then we were past and running； with the vaqueros on the wall picking targets from those we drove from hiding。
The tall pine was a mile off； and we rode directly for it through the half…light of the early dawn。 We covered that mile at a dead run； slowing to a trot as we neared the tree。 I glanced around swiftly。
〃How is it？ Are we all here？〃 I asked。
〃I was the last one；〃 Battles said。 〃We all made it。〃
〃Anybody hurt？〃
〃They burned my shoulder；〃 Rocca said。 〃It is nothing。〃
So I led them away at a fast trot for a little way； then I ran the horses again for a good half…mile； slowed to a trot and then a walk； then ran them again。
At noon we drew up at a small seep that came from the base of a grass…covered dune。 We watered our horses； exchanged saddles to fresh horses； and pushed on。
We kept a good pace； riding wide of any places of ambush； and watching for dust clouds。 There were bandits as well as Indians to be feared； and there were soldiers； too； who might resent our being here。 All this while the children did not cry； they did not once call out。 The Apaches had taught them that； if nothing more。
At midafternoon we rode into a deserted village。 The ruins of a large adobe still stood； and a half…pleted church。 There was water running in an irrigation ditch。
In a corner of one of the houses was a skeleton； still half…clothed； of a Mexican who had died fighting。 The left arm of the skeleton showed a break that had mended badly； leaving the arm shorter and crooked。
Tampico looked at it then at the dried leather of the holster on which an initial had been carved。 It was a large B。
〃So this is where it happened； Benito；〃 he said； and then glancing around at me； he said； 〃I knew him。 He was a bad one； but brave。〃
We made coffee there； and a hot soup from the jerked beef； and some corn； potatoes； and onions found in the deserted fields； now gone to weeds。 We ate quickly； but we ate well。
Spanish wiped his hands on his chaps and looked at me。 〃Let's be gettin' on；〃 he said。 〃There's a smell of death about this place。〃
John J。 Battles was already in his saddle； waiting。 We mounted up and moved out； riding fresh horses again； so as to use none of them too hard。
It was hot and still in those late hours of the day； and the dust did not rise。 Suddenly Murphy indicated a place on the horizon where a blue…gray finger of smoke made a question mark against the mountains。 It was ahead of us off to the east。 We knew what it meant； and we pressed on； picking up the north star for guiding； following it as best we could； with what the terrain offered。 After midnight we stopped among some willows and made dry camp in an arroyo。
Short of daybreak we were in the saddle again； and pushing on。 We passed a village off to our right。
〃Tres Alamos；〃 Rocca said。 Three Cottonwoods 。。。 it was the name of many villages。 Later we passed near another village； but avoided it； for there was no time for answering questions； and they would not like us bringing the Apaches on them。 This was Senokipe … hollow tree。 I loved the names the country gave； the sound of them made music to the ear。 Santa Rosalia 。。。 Soledad 。。。 Remedies 。。。 Soyopa 。。。 Nacori 。。。 Chimala 。。。 Kiburi。 Okitoa； a sparrow hawk's nest； Batuco； a waterhole； Cumuripa； a rathole 。。。 Matape； the red cliff； and Bacadeguatzi； meaning 〃at the white mountain。〃 The men who came first to this land used the names descriptive of it； the names that grew as naturally from the land as the cottonwood； the willow； or the ocotillo。 Dawn came up in crimson light over the eastern mountains； it flushed the mountainsides with a kind of dull flame。
〃I don't like it；〃 Rocca muttered gloomily。 〃It looks like blood。〃
In the next hour we counted three smokes 。。。 three and an answering smoke。
We stopped at a small creek； watered the horses； and shifted saddles。
〃If anything goes wrong；〃 I said to Dorset； 〃you take the children and ride for the border。 Harry can handle his own horse and one of the youngsters。〃
Rocca turned in his saddle。 〃I can smell Apaches。 They have been by this way； and not long since。〃
Murphy chuckled。 〃You're dreamin'； boy。 Nobody can smell that good。〃
〃They have been here；〃 Rocca insisted。 〃And they will e again。〃
Now that we were further north； the grass was sparser； there were bare sandhills； and the bare brown…red rock of the mountains was streaked with the white of quartz。 The sun was hot two hours before noon。 The air was still； nothing stirred anywhere。 Dancing heat waves emphasized the dead quiet。
My skin crawled。 Again and again I shifted my rifle to wipe the sweat from my hands。 Sweat streaked the dust on the faces of my panions； and the sweat trickling down my spine was cold and clammy under